Doncaster’s first and only Sixth Form College will personify fast-track collaboration when it opens its doors in September.
The new, £20million, 9450m2 New College Doncaster, which will be run by the New Collaborative Learning Trust, will have been built from start to finish in just 13 months.
It features state-of-the-art ventilation solutions from Gilberts Blackpool to create a fresh, conditioned internal environment. The core, standard solution has been tailored to the specific needs of the project in collaboration with BAM Design and BAM Construction, to deliver, in one product, a commercially viable alternative to conventional heating & ventilating strategies.
In total, 62 of Gilberts’ standard MFS256 hybrid ventilation units, each with integrated heat coil, have been installed at the College; 51 of the units have been incorporated into the windows, using Gilberts’ WM (window-mounted) louvre, a registered design that combines a split up/down louvre blade configuration for optimum efficiency of air movement in and out of the classroom. A further 11no. MFS256 units have been integrated into the façade using a bespoke designed duct extension.
To address the specific needs of the science rooms, Gilberts added dedicated controls logic for the MFS units in those areas; the logic interlocks with the gas supply to ensure the gas will not activate unless the MFS is operational, and automatically supplies additional fresh air whenever a fume cupboard is opened.
In addition, eight MFS-V turrets have been sited on the roof, each positioned within a shaft, to provide natural ventilation to the sports hall and two of the first floor teaching spaces.
Installed through the external façade or window, Mistrale MFS provides both fresh air intake and used air exhaust through one unit; the system mixes internal and external air to ventilate the internal space. A mixing damper within modulates airflow to allow the new, fresh air to mix with the warm exhaust air, thus extracting its heat without the need for an exchanger whilst still maintaining the required levels of air quality within the space. The integrated low energy fan energises to blend the internal air, ensuring an even distribution of airflow, with control over temperature and CO2 levels within, and maintenance of a comfortable internal environment for occupants.
With the heat coil option, the coil is energised and the fan runs on full speed for approximately 20 minutes (depending on night set-back temperatures and flow temperatures) to provide an even heat distribution across the room before occupancy. The integral fan ensures maximum air blending and avoids any stratification. Gilberts’ test research shows that the technique can eliminate the need for wall-mounted radiators.
The MFS-V version incorporates two Fusion MFS128 units placed vertically into a rooftop penthouse turret, with a shaft of only 900mm2, or up to 1500mm2 ensuring effective ‘stand-alone’ ventilation of the space below. No additional ducting or plant is required. By routing the ventilation through the roof then internal spaces that have no external façade can still be efficiently ventilated, be it via natural or hybrid principles. Gilberts designed bespoke cowls for New College Doncaster, with a low profile, so they blend discreetly with the roofline whilst still enabling adequate free ventilation area.
Gilberts has further taken care to attain compliance with Building Regulations Approved Document L: Mistrale MFS attains air leakage better than legislative requirements- 5m3/HR/m2, and a U value of 1W/m2/°C. As with all Gilberts’ ventilation solutions, it delivers efficient weather performance via its bespoke louvre system.
